Unveiling the Secret Behind Blue Bottle Coffee’s Popularity

Are you searching Blue Bottle Coffee for Kyoto coffee, third-wave providers, cupping spoons, instant craft espresso, the famous Blue Bottle dripper, exceedingly rare options, or just to find out what all the buzz is about these days?

Then, you’re in the right place, as Blue Bottle Coffee has become an iconic presence in the coffee industry.

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Jump to:

What is Blue Bottle?

Third Wave

Blue Bottle Products

US Cafe Locations

Pricing

Where To Buy Blue Bottle

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What Is Blue Bottle Coffee?

Blue Bottle Coffee, a premiere third-wave company, prides itself on providing artisanal and sustainable quality goods like coffee beans crafted with the utmost care and attention.

It’s Oakland born and bred, launching in 2002. However, Northern Californians no longer have the exclusive, as Blue Bottle has cafes in major markets, including NYC and DC. But, with a few clicks on your keyboard, you can discover what the hype is about with home delivery.

Blue Bottle cafes, why blue bottle coffee

Small-scale roasting

Suppliers who source their products ethically

Curated with great care

Cafes

Subscriptions

Single Origin

Unique Blends

Roast on Demand

All of its coffees come exclusively from the best producers in the world, allowing Blue Bottle to provide cups of joe with a bold flavor and complexity you won’t find elsewhere. What’s more, Blue Bottle reduces waste by only roasting its coffee as orders are placed, giving customers a freshly roasted product every time.

While some brands wait to grind the beans until they’re ready to use, Blue Bottle retains the seed of the tropical fruit and postpones the roasting process. Those last-minute small-batch roasts are why you experience unique flavors you can’t find elsewhere.

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Third Wave? What Are the Waves?

Coffee has come a long way from first waves to third waves! But what exactly is the difference?

  1. First-wave coffee was all about introducing the convenience of instant coffees and the widespread availability of pre-ground beans.
  2. Second-wave coffee focused on reigniting true passion for coffee, leading to the first specialty coffee shops opening in the late 80s and early 90s.
  3. Third-wave coffee marks a significant shift toward quality, taste, and education. It includes meticulous preparation of beans, focusing on origins, flavor profiles, and even sustainability.
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Third Wave Coffee Company

When you search for third-wave coffee, you’ll end up with a list of references to Blue Bottle coffee. It’s become synonymous with the term and is one of the pioneers. The coffees exceed specialty-grade standards and get a minimum of 84 points on the 100-point scale.

Plus, you’ll be enjoying certified organic beans from producing partners they’ve worked with for 5+ years—and paying premium prices that are at least equivalent to Fair Trade pricing.

>> To preserve freshness and quality, the company limits every batch size to around 70 kilos at a maximum. The beans are roasted optimally just before being shipped directly to customers or one of the Blue Bottle cafes.

It’s a coffee roaster and retailer valuing high-quality beans, accurately brewed coffee, and excellent customer service. Blue Bottle sources sustainably grown coffees from around the world, roasts them in small batches to ensure the highest quality flavor, and serves them using methods like pour-over and cold brew.

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What Are Blue Bottle Products?

Blue Bottle covers coffee from all angles:

  • Retail sales – beans, makers, premade, accessories, and more
  • Subscriptions
  • Cafes

Fresh Roast

Blue Bottle’s “claim to fame” is it always provides the freshest, most delicious coffee. The company ensures you get the optimal flavor in each sip by roasting their beans to perfection right before shipping. It’s a guarantee to get the highest quality product for your cup.

It’s essentially “roast on demand,” so consumers enjoy freshness at its peak. Again, third-wave coffee providers are all about quality.

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Primary Retail Options

  • Horizon Series – from Asia
  • Single Origin – Philippines, Kenya, Burundi, Thailand, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Costa Rica
  • Blends – including Cold Brew, New Orleans-style, Robusta blend, Three Africas
  • Instant – rare and small batch
  • Espresso – covering single-serve and craft instant espresso

Shopping Tip – Check out the full product descriptions offered by Blue Bottle. You’ll notice some unusual combinations among the roast levels and flavor profiles (not always apparent from their names).

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Two Exceedingly Rare Options

Yemen Hayma Kharijiya Bait Alal Community XII Whole Bean – A fruity light roast with a lavender, dried cherry, and blood orange flavor. $80

Small Batch Instant Yemen Qima Bait Alal with Sipping Glass – with notes of tamarind, black cherry, and vanilla. $65

Subscriptions

Don’t you just love subscription boxes? You get the thrill of seeing what’s hiding inside and then sampling something new.

You have your pick of various subscription options starting around $13 or so. And you choose the frequency – weekly, every other week, or every third or fourth week. With instant coffee, espresso, blends, cold brew, and more, it’s worth peeking at the Blue Bottle subscription page – gift yourself and someone else.

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Blue Bottle Merchandise

There’s been some buzz about the Blue Bottle Dripper, which is basically a pour-over system like Melitta. However, Blue Bottle got a little help from scientists and engineers. Its dripper system sends your favorite java on a journey through precisely grooved porcelain walls that retain heat during brewing. It provides even saturation and extraction in one flat bed.

The dripper and 90 filters retail for $36.

You can also go online shopping for Blue Bottle:

  • Cold Brew Bottles
  • French Press
  • Travel Brew Kits in a Bag – no electricity required
  • Grinders
  • Scales
  • Kettles
  • Nanofoamers
  • Cupping Spoons
  • And more!
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Blue Bottle Cafes

Although there are about 100 Blue Bottle cafes, they’re limited to a handful of regions.

Shops or portable shops are throughout California and in the New York City area, Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, Seoul, Kyoto, Kobe, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Yokohama. The following are US locations as of early 2023.

AddressCityStateZip
2118 University AveBerkeleyCA94704
132 S Beverly DrBeverly HillsCA90212
South Beverly Drive 132Beverly HillsCA90212
800 Boylston St Spc 25BostonMA02199
163 Newbury StBostonMA02116
113 Autumn LaneBostonMa02210
100 Federal St Ste K200BostonMA02110
100 Federal StBostonMA02110
76 N 4th St Store ABrooklynNY11249
203 7th AveBrooklynNY11215
85 Dean StBrooklynNY11201
76 N 4th St Store ABrooklynNY11249
76 N 4Th StBrooklynNY11249
160 Berry StBrooklynNY11249
Mckibbin Street 279BrooklynNY11206
7Th Avenue 203BrooklynNY11215
Dean Street 85BrooklynNY11201
88 Ames St Ste R120CambridgeMA02142
40 Bow StCambridgeMA02138
33 Boylston St Ste 3300Chestnut HillMA02467
313 W Wolf Point PlazaChicagoIL60654
8830 Washington Blvd Ste 103Culver CityCA90232
1552 Beach StEmeryvilleCA94608
300 S BroadwayLos AngelesCA90013
582 Mateo StLos AngelesCA90013
2066 Hillhurst AveLos AngelesCA90027
830 N Fairfax Ave Ste 1Los AngelesCA90046
8301 Beverly BlvdLos AngelesCA90048
555 S Alexandria AveLos AngelesCA90020
13050 San Vicente BlvdLos AngelesCA90049
12105 Waterfront Dr Ste C4-108CLos AngelesCA90094
1712 W Sunset BlvdLos AngelesCA90026
830 N Fairfax AveLos AngelesCA90046
116 N Robertson BlvdLos AngelesCA90048
Sunset Boulevard 1712Los AngelesCA90026
North Fairfax Avenue 830Los AngelesCA90046
San Vicente Boulevard 13050Los AngelesCA90049
South Broadway 300Los AngelesCA90013
Mateo St 582Los AngelesCA90013
Beverly Boulevard 8301Los AngelesCA90048
Hillhurst Avenue 2066Los AngelesCA90027
23401 Civic Center Way Ste 2AMalibuCA90265
23401 Civic Center WayMalibuCA90265
408 Greenwich StNew YorkNY10013
150 Greenwich StNew YorkNY10007
101 University PlNew YorkNY10003
54 W 40th StNew YorkNY10018
396 BroadwayNew YorkNY10013
1345 Avenue Of The AmericasNew YorkNY10105
257 Park Ave SNew YorkNY10010
279 Amsterdam AveNew YorkNY10023
150 Greenwich StNew YorkNY10007
396 BroadwayNew YorkNY10013
101 University PlNew YorkNY10003
54 W 40th StNew YorkNY10018
20 Hudson Yards Ste 228New YorkNY10018
279 Amsterdam AveNew YorkNY10023
257 Park Ave SNew YorkNY10010
10 E 53rd StNew YorkNY10022
408 Greenwich StNew YorkNY10013
441 8th AveNew YorkNY10001
1345 Avenue Of The AmericasNew YorkNY10105
1 Rockefeller Plz Ste NNew YorkNY10020
2901 BroadwayNew YorkNY10025
75 Varick StNew YorkNY10013
71 Clinton StNew YorkNY10002
450 W 15Th StNew YorkNY10011
60 E 42Nd St Ste 140New YorkNY10165
1 Rockefeller Plz Rm DNew YorkNY10020
450 W End AveNew YorkNY10024
West 40Th Street 54New YorkNY10018
Greenwich Street 150New YorkNY10007
Clinton Street 71New YorkNY10002
East 42Nd Street 60New YorkNY10165
W 15Th St 450New YorkNY10014
480 9th StOaklandCA94607
4270 BroadwayOaklandCA94611
4001 Piedmont AveOaklandCA94611
300 Webster StOaklandCA94607
476 9Th StOaklandCA94607
660 Stanford Shopping CtrPalo AltoCA94304
456 University AvePalo AltoCA94301
18 S Fair Oaks AvePasadenaCA91105
12105 Waterfront DrPlaya VistaCA90094
2 S Park StSan FranciscoCA94107
1 Ferry Building #7San FranciscoCA94111
315 Linden StSan FranciscoCA94102
115 Sansome StSan FranciscoCA94104
2453 Fillmore StSan FranciscoCA94115
909 Montgomery St Ste 105San FranciscoCa94133
199 Sutter StSan FranciscoCA94104
1355 Market StSan FranciscoCA94103
66 Mint StSan FranciscoCA94103
168 2Nd StSan FranciscoCA94105
628 California StSan FranciscoCA94108
1 Ferry Building, #7San FranciscoCA94111
Sansome St 115San FranciscoCA94104
Market Street 1355San FranciscoCA94103
Linden Street 315San FranciscoCA94102
Mint Street 66San FranciscoCA94103
Fillmore Street 2453San FranciscoCA94115
San Francisco Bay Trail OneSan FranciscoCA94111
3081 S Delaware StSan MateoCA94403
2439 Main StSanta MonicaCA90405
415 Santa Monica BlvdSanta MonicaCa90401
11962 Ventura BlvdStudio CityCA91604
1103 Abbot Kinney BlvdVeniceCA90291
Abbot Kinney Boulevard 1103VeniceCA90291
1046 Potomac St NWWashingtonDC20007
1250 4th St NEWashingtonDC20002
1 Market Sq SWWashingtonDC20024
50 Massachusetts Ave Ne Unit M160WashingtonDC20002
Potomac Street Northwest 1046WashingtonDC20007
P Street Northwest 1471WashingtonDC20005
1100 15th St NW Ste #6Washington D.C.DC20005
1471 P St NWWashington D.C.DC20005
20929 Ventura Blvd Ste 26Woodland HillsCA91367
20929 Ventura BlvdWoodland HillsCA91364
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How Much Is Blue Bottle Coffee?

Pricing for Blue Bottle Coffee depends on what and where you order it. For example, you can go into a café and buy a cold brew for about $5.00, or you can get a six-pack on Amazon for just under $40.

The best bang for your buck is to buy freshly roasted beans and be an at-home barista. You can get a 12-ounce Giant Steps whole bean blend bag for $21. Even if you don’t have a coffeemaker, you’ve got a hookup with a five-pack of Craft Instant Espresso packets for $15.

And, if you want to head in the other direction, you might have noticed that $80 price tag on Blue Bottle’s Exceedingly Rare.

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Where Can You Buy Blue Bottle?

If you’re fortunate to live in an area with a Blue Bottle Café, you can get your fix on the go and take a little something home with you. The Blue Bottle site features a long list of options for everyone else – anything from merchandise, including the famous dripper, to beans, instant varieties, or a single-bag subscription.

Amazon also carries a line of premade cold brew in cans and a few other Blue Bottle varieties if you want to get more bang for your buck from your Prime subscription.

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